GENOCIDE

KEY THEMES ■ AbouT THE ConvEning orgAnizATionS Genocide and mass atrocities threaten core American values and national interests. From the president on down, preventing genocide must be a national priority. Preventing genocide is achievable. Working with international partners, the U.S. can take practical steps to prevent mass atrocities at every stage. The choice is not between doing nothing and large-scale military intervention. The administration should develop and implement a government-wide policy to prevent genocide and mass atrocities, including the creation of standing institutional mechanisms to ensure that the U.S. government takes timely and effective action. ■ The United StAteS HolocAUSt memoriAl mUSeUm, a living memorial to the Holocaust, inspires citizens and leaders to confront hatred, promote human dignity and prevent genocide. Federal support guarantees the Museum’s permanence, and its far-reaching educational programs and global impact are made possible by donors nationwide. The AmericAn AcAdemy of diplomAcy is dedicated to strengthening the resources and tools America brings to managing its diplomatic challenges, and accomplishes this through outreach programs, lectures, awards, and writing competitions. In doing so, the Academy promotes an understanding of the importance of diplomacy to serving our nation and enhancing America’s standing in the world. The United StAteS inStitUte of peAce is an independent, nonpartisan, national institution established and funded by Congress. Its goals are to prevent and resolve violent international conflicts, promote post-conflict stability and development, and increase peacebuilding capacity, tools, and intellectual capital worldwide. The Institute does this by empowering others with knowledge, skills, and resources, as well as by directly engaging in peacebuilding efforts around the globe. IT E D S T AT ■ “The world agrees that genocide is unacceptable and yet genocide and mass killings continue. We have a duty to find the answer before the vow of ‘never again’ is once again betrayed.” —Madeleine K. albright and WilliaM S. Cohen to download the complete task force report visit: www.ushmm.org www.academyofdiplomacy.org www.usip.org UN Genocide A Blueprint for U.S. Policymakers Madeleine K. Albright William S. Cohen Co-Chairs, Genocide Prevention Task Force Preventing T UT E OF EA P CE ES IN S T I AbouT THE gEnoCidE PrEvEnTion TASK ForCE ■ rEPorT ouTlinE ■ KEY rECoMMEndATionS ■ The Genocide Prevention Task Force was launched on November 13, 2007 and released its report to the public on December 8, 2008. It was jointly convened by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, The American Academy of Diplomacy, and the U.S. Institute of Peace. It was funded by private foundations. Its goals were: (1) To spotlight genocide prevention as a national priority; and (2) To develop practical policy recommendations to enhance the capacity of the U.S. government to respond to emerging threats of genocide and mass atrocities. ■ Leadership: The Indispensable Ingredient. Nothing is more central to preventing genocide than leadership—from the president, Congress, and the American people. Making progress requires leaders to summon political will not only after a crisis strikes, but also before one emerges. Early Warning: Assessing Risks and Triggering Action. Early warning is critical for prioritizing efforts and informing the design of effective prevention strategies. Early Prevention: Engaging Before the Crisis. By engaging leaders, institutions, and civil society at an early stage, we can help vulnerable countries steer clear of dangers. Preventive Diplomacy: Halting and Reversing Escalation. Even at later stages, there are opportunities to alter leaders’ decisions and change their plans. By improving our crisis response capabilities, we can strengthen preventive diplomacy. Employing Military Options. U.S. military assets can provide important support to prevention strategies short of the use of force and become especially crucial when prevention fails. International Action: Strengthening Norms and Institutions. The U.S. has an interest in promoting an international system that can effectively prevent and halt genocide and mass atrocities. In partnership with others, we can multiply our positive impact. Create an interagency Atrocities Prevention Committee at the National Security Council to analyze threats of genocide and mass atrocities and consider appropriate preventive action. Make warning of genocide or mass atrocities an “automatic trigger” of policy review. Develop military guidance on genocide prevention and response and incorporate it into doctrine and training. Prepare interagency genocide prevention and response plans for high-risk situations. Invest $250 million—less than a dollar for every American each year—in new funds for crisis prevention and response. Make $50 million of this amount available for urgent off-cycle activities to prevent or halt emerging genocidal crises. Launch a major diplomatic initiative to create an international network for information sharing and coordinated action to prevent genocide and mass atrocities. Provide assistance to build the capacity of international partners—including the UN and regional organizations—to prevent genocide and mass atrocities. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ TASK ForCE MEMbErS Madeleine K. Albright ■ William S. Cohen Co-Chairs ■ John Danforth Thomas Daschle Stuart Eizenstat Michael Gerson Dan Glickman Jack Kemp Gabrielle Kirk McDonald Thomas R. Pickering Julia Taft (1942–2008) Vin Weber Anthony Zinni ■ ■ ■ ■